Families of Faith

On the Sunday after Christmas, the Church marks the beautiful Feast of the Holy Family. The feast was especially meaningful for my wife and me because our granddaughter, Grace Elizabeth Sullivan, was baptized during Mass on that day. And we shared our joy with family members who came from near and far to witness Grace Elizabeth receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

It was a truly perfect day for a family member to be baptized — on the day when the importance of families is front and center through the example of the Holy Family.

And Pope Francis reflected on just that in his homily as he connected the Feast of the Holy Family to the Church’s Year of Mercy. In the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis encouraged families to share moments of family prayer. “What can be more beautiful than for a father and mother to bless their children at the beginning and end of each day, to trace on their forehead the sign of the cross, as they did on the day of their Baptism?” he said. “Is this not the simplest prayer which parents can offer for their children?”

“Our Lady and St. Joseph teach us to welcome children as a gift from God, to rear them, cooperating in a wonderful way with the Creator’s work and giving to the world, in every child, a new smile,” the Hoy Father said while stressing the virtues of love, tenderness, mutual respect, mutual understanding, forgiveness and joy as the hallmarks of families of faith during this Year of Mercy.